_Cherokee_
In the beginning there was no fire and the world was cold. Then the
Thunders, who lived up in Galun'lati, sent their lightning and put
fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree which grew on an
island. The animals knew it was there because they could see the smoke
coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the
water, so they held a council to decide what to do. This was a long,
long time ago.
Every animal was anxious to go after the fire. Raven offered. He was
large and strong, so he was sent first. He flew high and far across
the water, and lighted on the sycamore tree. There he perched,
wondering what to do next. Then he looked at himself. The heat had
scorched his feathers black. Raven was so frightened he flew back
across the water without any fire.
Then little Wa-hu-hu, the Screech Owl, offered to go. He flew high and
far across the water and perched upon a hollow tree. As he sat there
looking into the hollow tree, wondering what to do, a blast of hot air
came up and hurt his eyes. Screech Owl was frightened. He flew back as
best he could, because he could hardly see. That is why his eyes are
red even to this day.
Then Hooting Owl and the Horned Owl went, but by the time they reached
the hollow tree, the fire was blazing so fiercely that the smoke
nearly blinded them. The ashes carried up by the breeze made white
rings around their eyes. So they had to come home without fire.
Therefore they have white rings around their eyes.
None of the rest of the birds would go to the fire. Then Uk-su-hi, the
racer snake, said he would go through the water and bring back fire.
He swam to the island and crawled through the grass to the tree. Then
he went into the tree by a small hole at the bottom. But the heat and
smoke were dreadful. The ground at the bottom of the tree was covered
with hot ashes. The racer darted back and forth trying to get off the
ashes, and at last managed to escape through the same hole by which he
had entered. But his body had been burned black. Therefore he is now
the black racer. And that is why the black racer darts around and
doubles on his track as if trying to escape.
Then great Blacksnake, "The Climber," offered to go for fire. He was
much larger than the black racer. Blacksnake swam over to the island
and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake always does,
but when he put his head down into the hole the smoke choked him so
that he fell into the burning stump. Before he could climb out, he,
too, was burned black.
So the birds, and the animals, and the snakes held another council.
The world was still very cold. There was no fire. But all the birds,
and the snakes, and all the four-footed animals refused to go for
fire. They were all afraid of the burning sycamore.
Then Water Spider said she would go. This is not the water spider that
looks like a mosquito, but the other one--the one with black downy
hair and red stripes on her body. She could run on top of the water,
or dive to the bottom.